chapter 31

Phoebe's eyes widened, her voice barely above a whisper. "Hun?" 

Archie nodded, his gaze piercing hers. "Yes." He confirmed, his tone confident and unwavering. "You asked if I still have feelings for Rosie, right?" 

Phoebe was frozen in shock, unable to respond. She fixated on his lips, watching as the words cut deep into her soul. 

"This should answer your question and clear your doubt..." Archie said, his words hung in the air like a challenge to her. "Yes. I still have feelings for Rosie. My feelings for her haven't changed," 

He pressed his hand to the left side of his chest. "Rosie has a special place in my heart, and she owns it to this day. No one, not even you, can take her place..."

"Your place ranks lower, and you're nowhere near her abode in my heart." He declared. With that, he turned to the door, his back to Phoebe as if emphasizing the finality of his words.

"Do you think she'll accept you back after everything that happened?" Phoebe asked, her question making him glance back at her. 

"I'm not pursuing her," he said, his expression somber. "I've lost her love. I think all I want now is to see her happy." 

Phoebe's eyes narrowed slightly. "What other evidence do you need to believe she cheated on you?" She asked, her tone laced with curiosity. 

Archie's response was simple, yet heart-wrenching. "You are all the evidence I need. But even after seeing that, my heart still beats for her. I try to hate her, but I just can't."

"Archie, I care less about your feelings for her as long as I remain your legal wife. But mind you, don't let your feelings disturb my happiness," she warned.

She sighed, her arms crossing over her chest as she walked closer to him. She stopped in front of him, her hands releasing their hold on her chest to grasp his shirt collar. 

She stood on her tiptoes, her mouth inches from his ear, her voice barely above a whisper. "Be careful about making any moves that might trigger me," she warned. "Before you do anything, think about the secrets only I know about…"

"Disturb my peace again, and wait for me to use your biggest fear against you. Your secret is your weakness, and remember, I became your wife to keep it safe... Be warned, Archie." 

With that, she stood back on her feet and walked out of the room with a long, elegant stride. 

Archie turned to face the door, his expression twisted in a mixture of emotions; sadness, pain, shock. Suddenly, a flash of memories burst into his mind, and he closed his eyes, shaking his head in a futile attempt to ward off the images. But it was no use.

His mind plunged into the depths of memory; until he was consumed by the fear and nightmare that had haunted him for so long. "No!" He screamed, his hands clasped over his head as he panted heavily, the vivid image of the incident still seared into his mind. 

For a moment, he seemed to find some relief, and his hands dropped from his head. But the pain lingered, and a single tear rolled down his cheek. "When will this end?"